Compressible tube valve



J. K. MAIR ET AL COMPRESSIBLE TUBE VALVE Nov. 24, 1953 '2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed NOV. 2l. 1949 Attorneys.

NOV- 24, 1953 J. K.' MAIR ETAL -coMPREssIBLE TUBE VALVE ZSheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 21, 1949 h U Il Jesse' K. ,uA/R

CHR/S TUI-HER J. MCA/ALLY Patented Nov. 24, 1953 NT OFFICE coMPREssIBLE TUBEVALVE Jesse K. Mair and ohristepner J. McNally, VAlien-Y town, Pa., assignors to Cement Gun Company,

:, vakcorporationV of New lnc., Allentown, Pa

Jersey Application November 21, 1949, Serial ldd-128,563

2 'Claims- 'replacements'.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a valve which will efficiently withstand the wearof an abrasive carrying fluid stream passing therethrough.

It is a further object of this invention to vprovide a valve comprising a compressible liner adapted to be compressed to control the effective opening thereof.` f

A further object is to yprovide a valve comprising a compressible liner which may be readily removed and replaced when worn.

Another object is to provide a Valve quickly and positively opened and closed by the action of a lever member.

Yet another object is to provide a valve comprising a. substantially fully enclosed compressible liner, permitting the use of high pressures therewith. Still another object is to provide a compressible liner valve structure adapted for service under dusty and dirty conditions, the valve being` inherently self-cleaning of dust and abrasive material finding its lway into the operative parts thereof, whereby the life of the liner is greatly extended.

Other objects of the invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention and the novel features thereof may best be made clear from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, with parts shown in open position;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same, showing the valve in closed and locked position;

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken along the 1ine 3-3 in Figure l;

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken along the line 4-4 in Figure 2; I

Figure 5 is a partial section showing the valve associated with an abrasive material loading hopper;

(creer-,5),V e Y Y 2 4Figure 6 is a longitudinal section showing tails `of the sleeve forming wa housing; Y Y .Figure '7 is a perspective view of the compressible liner insert of the valve, and Figure 8 is an elevational member and follower.

Referring to the drawings, the valve comprises a sleeve Ill ofrigid material, preferably metal, provided with .en opening la in thev side thereof, and spaced, parallel lugs I2 projecting 'from' the sleeve on opposite sides of opening Il. Slidably supported between lugs I2 Visv a follower I3, guided 'and retained by guides sa extending from' dije sleeve intermediate lugs I-2,and by the projecting ends of pin I5, engaged inthe/lug'slotsl IIE.. The inner end Il of `follower I3 is'concave,1and bears against and partially encloses a ball YIiajs may best be seen in Figures 2, v3, 4, and 8. y'An actuating leverV I9 is pivotally'mounted between the ends of 'lugs I2 by means'of pivot Zilja'nd comprises near its pivot end the cam surfacew'Z! and lock surface 22. Y y Concentrically enclosed by sleeve I'is the compressible liner insert 23, provided with -external end flanges 24. The liner'insert 23`is Vmadeof suitable compressible, elastic material, such as rubber, synthetic organic plastic, orthe like, and'its adjacent wall cooperates with yfollower I3 to retain the ball I8 therebetween. -The Venlarged end portions 25' of sleeve II'I terminate in annular stop surfaces 26, disposed against the end flanges of the liner V by cap members 21. Cap members 2 comprise internal shoulders 28, positioned and adaptedY to engage the end surfaces ofthe liner insert and its flanges, and to cooperate with the sleeve stop surfaces 26`to compress the liner inserty flanges therebetween to form seals. A plurality of-aperltured projections 29l extend from the cap fittings, by means of which the cap fittings may be aligned and engaged by bolts '3E and drawn up toward each other. To prevent relative rotation ofthe cap fittings and bolts when assembled, a stud Si may extend from sleeve'lil, said stud comprising a groove 32 adapted to partially enclose one of the bolts 3i) and thereby maintain its relative position. The outer ends of the cap fittings may be threadably engaged to component parts of a fluid carrying system, such as the nipple 33 and pipe 34, illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. f

'Ihe valve is open when actuating lever I9 is in the position shown in Figures 1 and 3. It will be seen that in this position the passage therethrough is straight and smooth, and contains-no dpartY of the valve lview of the valveball insert, and are'eneio'jsed obstructions. The valve is closed by the single motion of lever I9 in an arcuate path about its pivot 20, whereby the flat outer end surface of follower I3 is successively engaged rst by the cam surface 2l, whereby the follower and ball are progressively moved inwardly causing the ball to compress lthe adjacent wall of the liner insert until it meets and is compressed against the opposite Wall thereof, and then by lock surface 22, which holds the follower and ball firmly in the position shown in Figures 2 and 4. l In this position it will be readily seen that the passage through liner insert 23 is effectively closed, and the valve remains in closed position until disengagement of lock surface 221from follower I3 is effected by manual movement of lever I9. On return of lever I9 to open position, the liner -insert is opened by its inherent elasticity and by the internal pressure of the fiuid system of which the valve is a part. Desirably, the diameter of ball I8 is slightly less than the internal diameter of the liner insert, so that in engaging the liner insert in closed position as shown in Figure 4, the ball exerts equal pressure thereagainst along the entire arc of contact, insuring full closure of the passage.

Figure shows a typical utilization of the valve of the present invention, employed as an exhaust valve-in association with the hopper 35, designed for loading sand or sand-cement mix into machines for-the pneumatic application of such materials. Above the hopper 35 is provided a cone valve 36 and the cone valve gasket 31, through ywhichdry sand or sand-cement mix is loadedinto the hopper, whereupon the cone valve is closed then be opened to the associated pneumatic mix- -ing and delivery system (not shown), and the charge allowed to drop thereinto. The hopper 35 is then closed off from such apparatus and the exhaust valve, indicated generally as 38, opened to relieve the pressure within the hopper, whereupon the cone valve 36 may be opened and another material charge'loaded therethrough.

The-exhaust valve 38, it will be seen, in this application is periodically subjected to the passage of a high velocity gas stream carrying fine abrasive particles -in suspension therethrough. Such service has been found to quickly erode the metal gates or plugs of conventional valves, resultingY in but a short period of service before causing leakage, sticking, and other malfunctioning of the valve and associated apparatus.

' The exhaust valve of this invention has been found to be particularly useful in this and similar applications, since it opens quickly to its full opening and offers no obstructions to the passage of fluid therethrough. On displacing the actuating lever, the valve immediately nies open, avoiding excessively high velocities therethrough corresponding to partially open position. The liner insert 23, formed preferably of rubber or similar material, has been found to effectively withstand the wear of such usage. In addition, it will be noted that the valve is readily disassembled. without removal from associated apparatus, whereby the liner insert 23 may be quickly and easily replaced, reducing maintenance time and expense to a minimum and substantially eliminating shutdown occasioned thereby. To replace the liner insert, it is necessary only to remove the nuts from one endl of the rbol-tsSD, whereupon the cap fittings 21- maybe backed off sleeve |02, andthe worn liner Einsert removedand replaced-bye new-one. The-cap :fittings-may then be placed over the ends of the sleeve and by means of bolts 30 drawn together t0 form effective seals with the liner insert fianges 24 between the shoulders 28 of the cap fittings and the stop surfaces 26 of the sleeve.

In the type of service described, it will be readily appreciated thatthe valve functions in an atmosphere laden ywith dust and abrasive particles, whereby such air-borne particles are prone to find their way into the valve and cause malfunctioning thereof. Particularly, in valves of this type it vhas been discovered that such particles are 'especially prone to collect on the sliding element employed to compress and close the liner insert. In this manner, abrasive material is forced into the adjacent surface of the liner insert and considerable damage results. In fact, grit carried by the compressing member and forced into the exterior surface of the liner insert has been found to cause deterioration and failure thereof more quickly than the action of the abrasive particles passing through the interior thereof.

In the valve of the present invention this deleterious effect is substantially avoided by reason of the self-cleaning action of the follower and ball assembly, it having been found that ball I8 and its follower I3 coact to periodically clean the ball of grit accumulated thereon. The internal fluid pressure exerted against the stoppage in the liner insert when the valve is closed effects a valve opening, when handle I9 is manipulated, 'approaching a snap action. This opening-actiomit has been found; effects some rotation of balll I8 relative' to its follower eachtime the valve is opened. The rotation ofthe ballrelative to the follower effects a scraping action therebetween, whereby grit accumulated on the ball surface is loosened and removed, and theportion of the ball forcedl against the liner insert is thereby maintained substantially free of grit vaccumulations which would shorten the life of the liner insert.

lit will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention a structure in which the various objects hereinbefore set forth, together with many practical advantages, are successfully achieved. As various possiblev embodiments may bemade of the mechanical features of .the above invention,` allfwithout departing from the scope thereof, it is to Vbe understood -thatfall matter hereinbefore set forth or shown -in the accompanying drawings is to be interpretedas illustrative, and notin a limiting sense.

We claim: n

l. A valve comprising-a cylindricalcompressible liner insert, a-rigid sleeve enclosingsaid linerfinsert,` anopening in said sleeve, opposed lugs extending from said sleeve on opposite sides of said opening, guides disposed adjacentV said opening betweensaid lugs, a follower slida'bl-y supportedbetween said' lugs and guided therebetween for` straight line rmovementl normal-to the axis of said insert, the inner end of "said follower being concave, a ball disposed between the inner end of saidfollower and said liner `inf vsert rfor movement with the follower, the curvature of the inner end of said follower corresponding substantially to that of said ball wherevby said ballA may freelyl rotate relative to-the concave end of said follower, the diameter of said ball being slightly less than the internal-diameterof said liner insert, and a lever pivotally mounted between said lugs, said leverV comprising afcarn surface adaptedv to engage the outer end of said follower and depressA said follower and ball to compress said liner insert andfclose surface, adapted to engage and maintain said.

follower in depressed position.

JESSE K. MAIR. CHRISTOPHER J. MCNALLY.

References Cited in the file 0f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Dreyfus Aug. 1, 1876 Number Number 10 Number Name Date Caldwell Jan. 5, '1915 Pescara Jan. 24, 1939 Jordan Aug. 1, 1939 Brown et a1. Deo. 22, 1942 Glidden Aug. 23, 1949 Le Valley Oct. 11, 1949 Ernest Oct. 28, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Jan. 4, 1923 Great Britain 1939 Germany 1931 

